Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of bird feeders and, more particularly, to an Oriole bird feeder having a tapered port design that enables Orioles and other birds in the Icterid family to feed on sugar-rich nectar while preventing the indirect death of honey bees due to entrapment in the port and/or nectar reservoir of the feeder.
Description of the Related Art
Orioles feed on sugar-rich nectar and therefore various feeder designs have been developed that allow the consumer to provide the birds with foods they like. Some feeders are designed to offer liquid nectar while others are configured to dispense jelly. Orange halves or slices are also a popular food item that may be used to draw Orioles for feeding. In the case of liquid nectar, existing Oriole bird feeders include feed ports sized to allow the birds to insert their beaks to access the sugar-rich nutrient held in a nectar reservoir. Honey bees are also drawn to the sugar and, due to the size of the ports, are able to enter the same to access the nectar. However, upon passing through the ports the bees often become trapped in the nectar reservoir, ultimately leading to their death.
Accordingly, a need exists for an Oriole bird feeder having ports that allow the birds to access the nectar in the reservoir while preventing the entrance of honey bees into the reservoir. A need also exists for an Oriole bird feeder that can be used to dispense not only nectar but also other food items such as jelly and oranges in a single feeder that can be easily disassembled and cleaned.